Playing Back the Moments
by DiBye
Summary: "The light changes when you're in the room. Oh it's you, oh it's you…" The music poured into the kitchen lightly through the ear phones and Nick looked down. - A series of Nick and Macy One Shots JONAS
1. It's You

Authors Note: This will (hopefully) be a series of Macy/Nick one shots. I'm putting my play list on shuffle and writing based on the title and lyrics of whatever song happens to come up. This could lead to some nonsense so bare with me. Please review and let me know what you think.

Song: It's You by Michelle Branch

Episode Relevancy: This takes place while the boys are getting ready to go on tour. So I guess after Exam Jam.

**It's You**

"Boys, hurry up! It's time to hit the road." Mr. Lucas's loud voice rang through the firehouse with determination. He would get the boys to their destination on time if it killed him.

"I thought we were leaving at nine." Joe grumbled as he trudged into the kitchen with his bags dragging behind him.

"We're supposed to be at the meeting by nine Joe." Nick answer, coming up behind him. Okay, so maybe getting the boys there on time _would _kill Mr. Lucas.

"I can't believe we're leaving for the tour!" Kevin exclaimed, bouncing into the kitchen and looking more awake than anyone had the right to at this hour.

"Technically the tour doesn't start for a few more days Kev." Nick reminded him, grabbing an apple and looking at it thoughtfully. In the end he decided he was too tired to eat just yet and stuck the apple in the front pocket of his bag.

"But the preparations are fun too. We get to see old friends from last years tour and meet new people too. I love meeting new people!" Kevin smiled. It was true. Kevin did enjoy getting to know people. It was one of his many endearing qualities.

"Does everyone have everything ready?" Mrs. Lucas asked as she entered the kitchen looking almost as frazzled as her husband. The boys seemed calm and relaxed about the upcoming tour. Their parents however…

"Do you?" She nearly screeched when no one answered her right away.

"Relax mom, we've done this before." Joe appeased her. She smiled shakily and nodded uncertainly.

"It's just that…"

_Ding dong!_

Before she could begin a rant about her motherly worries, the door bell rang. The Lucas family looked at each other in confusion, each wondering who it could be.

"Is Stella coming over for the send off?" Mr. Lucas asked. Joe shook his head sadly.

"No. We said goodbye last night." He answered. The family stood still for a moment before a small voice started them.

"Well here's a bright idea. Let's go see who it is." Frankie Lucas rolled his eyes and headed to the door. Moments later the Lucas family was greeted by the shining eyes and wide smile of Macy Misa.

"Speak slowly, they're easily confused in the morning." Frankie advised the petite brunette. Macy smiled nervously and fiddled with something in her hands.

"Macy! What are you doing here? Are you going to try and hide in our luggage so you can come on tour with us? Oh, I could totally help!" Kevin spoke up. Nick rolled his eyes and smacked his older brothers arm.

"What's up Mace?" Joe greeted, peering over her head hoping to see a certain blonde pop out.

"I just… I needed to see you before you all left. Actually I need to talk to Nick." She stuttered anxiously.

"Nick?" Kevin question.

"Him?" Joe asked pointing at Nick.

"Me?" Nick uttered. Macy nodded, not meeting anyone's eyes.

"Alright, you're father and I are going to double check some of the luggage. Boys, go load the rest of your bags in the car. And Macy take your time saying goodbye." Mrs. Lucas smiled, patting Macy's arm as she walked by.

"Not too much time though." Mr. Lucas muttered before following his wife. Frankie perched himself on a chair and watched as everyone left the room. He wasn't going to miss a second of this awkward goodbye. Things were already proving to be unusually quiet.

"So ah, I thought we said goodbye last night as Stella's." Nick finally spoke up.

"We did I just… Stella said something after you guys left that made me think…" She trailed off and looked away.

"What'd she say?" He asked, unsure of where this was headed. Macy had slowly but surely become a real friend to him. But she was still very unpredictable and sometimes that made him nervous. He was the kind of person that planned, and planned, and oh yeah… planned. Predictable was his way of life.

"Well she said that, that… you ah, you sometimes get anxious when you first leave for tour. She said that you usually listened to music the whole way there to calm down." She mumbled the last part. She was beginning to feel like and idiot for coming over in the first place.

"Yeah, I guess." He muttered, a little embarrassed that Stella had shared that with Macy. He was a private guy after all.

"So I uh, I couldn't really sleep when I got home last night. I brought you something." She finally blurted out, shoving an MP3 player towards him. He looked at the device and then at her. Her eyes were wide and hesitant. Almost hopeful.

"Is this yours?" He asked. She nodded meekly.

"It doesn't have any JONAS songs or anything, I have a separated one for that." She smiled a little. He found himself returning the smile before scrolling through the list of songs. He was surprised to find that he actually liked a lot of the music.

"I know it's kind of silly, of course you have your own music but I just…" She trailed off and wrung her hands together. Nick was quiet for another moment.

"No. It's perfect." He finally said, looking up to meet her eyes. She sucked in a breath and felt her heart constrict.

"Really?" She squeaked. He stepped closer and nodded.

"Yeah. I mean, I've listened to my own play lists like a million times. It's kind of fun listening to someone else's. It'll keep my mind off of my nerves." He added. She looked relived and happy. He felt a sense of pride in the fact that he had made her that happy. He couldn't help but think that he should do that more often.

"Good. I'm glad you like it." She replied, looking like she was going to run at him or run from him at any second. "So I should just…" She nodded towards the door.

"Wait." He found himself saying. Before he knew what was happening he was reaching into his pocket and pulling out his own MP3. He held it out to her with a genuine smile.

"Nick…" She shook her head and back away. "I can't."

"Why not? We'll trade until the next time we see each other. Besides, I don't need mine if I'm listening to yours." He pointed out. Her heart beat in overdrive as he took her hand and placed the MP3 in it. He let his fingers linger for a moment too long. She blushed and looked away.

"Okay, well… thank you." She finally said. He nodded.

"Thank _you_." He insisted.

"Have a good time on tour. I'll see you…" She bit her lip and waved before turning and leaving. Nick stared after her with a new look on his face.

"I should have made pop corn." Frankie spoke up from the corner of the kitchen. Nick jumped, and whirled around to face him.

"You were in here the whole time?" He practically yelled.

"I'm small… and stealth." He explained shrugging. Nick clenched his jaw and Frankie hopped off the chair.

"Frankie…" Nick growled.

"Macy's cool. She's kind of nuts but… a definite improvement over your previous crushes." He mentioned.

"My what? I- I am not… what are you…?" He stuttered frantically.

"Nick. I'm younger than you but, you can be a dope" He patted Nick on the arm in mock sympathy.

"But I-" Nick started to argue but loud footsteps interrupted him mid sentence. Macy hurried back into the kitchen looking flushed and out of breath.

"Macy?" Nick exclaimed in surprise. His ears burned at the thought of her hearing Frankie's accusations.

"I forgot one more thing." She replied. Before he could ask her what she forgot, her arms were around his neck and her body was closer to his that it ever had been before. He felt himself lean in to the embrace and wind his own arms around her small waste. Her warmth encompassed him and she pulled away far too soon.

"I'll miss you." She said quietly before turned and running back out of the room. Nick stood motionless and felt his skin tingle with new energy. Frankie smirked in triumph and reached over to hit 'play' on the MP3 player in Nick's hand.

"_The light changes when you're in the room. Oh it's you, oh it's you…" _The music poured into the kitchen lightly through the ear phones and Nick looked down. Finally, begrudgingly, he turned to Frankie.

"Fine. You win." He muttered. He was annoyed that his younger brother had seen it before him. Seen the light in Macy. The light that she brought to Nick. But then again, Frankie wasn't the one who had the fluttering in his stomach or a warmth on his skin. Frankie may have been right… but Nick had won.


	2. That's What You Get

Song: That's What You Get by Paramore

Episode Relevancy: This takes place while the boys are on tour. So I guess after Exam Jam. It can also be compliant with chapter one, though it can also stand alone.

**That's What You Get**

Two weeks, five days, seventeen e-mails, two packages, and more phone calls than could be counted. This is how Nick measured the time he spent away from Macy. Sometimes it was too depressing to think about what he was missing while he was away from her. So instead he would read her e-mails and listen to the voice messages she left, instead he would think about what he had gained.

The Lucas brothers left for tour right as Nick was realizing his feeling for the former hallway hazard. He put his romantic intentions on hold, because romance and tour hardly ever mixed, and decided to pursue a strong friendship. If Joe and Stella had taught him anything, it was that friendship is the most important thing in a relationship of any kind.

And so, from hundreds of miles away, Nick found himself feeling closer to Macy than ever before. She was almost always the first person he spoke with in the morning, and the last voice he heard at night. Their phone calls were often ridiculously timed for at least one of them, but it was worth it. Her letters, her texts, her voice… she had some how become his constant. As the band moved from city to city, she moved with them.

_Ring ring ring…_

"Nick, your girlfriend is calling." Joe yelled to his brother. Nick hurried out of the bathroom and into the dressing room. His ring tone, a standard ring, sounded relentlessly.

"She is not my girlfriend." He growled at Joe before answering the phone. "Hey Mace." He smiled. Joe snorted and rolled his eyes.

"Hey! Are you at the venue yet?" She asked, knowing that they were playing a show in Dallas that night. She was extremely up to date on their tour schedule, and not just because of her JONAS blog or fan site.

"Yeah, we got here a little while ago. This place is huge. I think Kevin might actually get lost." He replied. He heard the soft tinkering of her laugh on the other end of the phone. A sound that had often lulled him into a calm. A sound that was becoming almost crucial for him to hear before he performed.

"Leave a trail of animal cookies leading to the stage." She joked. Nick chuckled lightly, she was always good at making him laugh. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Joe smirking at him.

"That could work." He said thoughtfully. "Hey, did you win your game today?" He asked, remembering that Macy's softball team was in the middle of the playoffs.

"What do you think?" She asked confidently. Macy was one of the sweetest girls he'd ever met, but when it came to athletics… she was a force to be reckoned with.

"I think you pitched a no hitter and had 4 runs." He answered calmly. He was met with silence on the other end.

"Nick…" She finally said.

"Yes Macy?" He replied, trying to keep from sounding smug.

"Who told you?" She finally yelled. He laughed at her outrage.

"What makes you think someone told me?" He teased. Macy loved telling Nick about her games and practices. He was a big sports fan so he appreciated her play by play recounts. The fact that someone had beaten her to the punch was somewhat annoying.

"Nikolas Jerry Lucas…" She warned.

"Don't middle name me!" He exclaimed.

"Don't give me a reason to middle name you." She fired back.

"Fair enough." He shrugged. She sighed over the phone.

"So…" She prompted,

"Okay, fine. I maybe, possibly, probably… had Fred text me during the game to tell me what was happening." He admitted. Joe's head snapped in his direction and Macy gasped over the phone.

"Fred?" The both replied in unison, from miles apart.

"Yes, Fred. What's wrong with Fred? Fred's an okay guy." He defended the obsessive JONAS head. So maybe he had only met Fred once or twice. And maybe those few meetings has almost resulted in a restraining order. So what? Fred was still… okay.

"Nick… I had to suspend Fred from the JONAS club because he tried to break into your house" Macy reminded him.

"Dude, Fred used to hide inside of my locker." Joe added.

"He was just cleaning it for you!" Nick replied. Joe gave him a doubtful look and Nick relented. "Fine, he was the only one who would give me a play by play of the game while it was actually going on. He even sent me some videos." He explained. He had found Fred's number, then called him from a phone (which was not his own, because really… it's Fred) and asked him to keep him updated on Macy's game. The extreme JONAS fan had been more than willing.

"Nick…" Macy finally said.

"I know, it's crazy." He finished for her. He could vaguely hear Joe making the whipped noise in the background. He clenched his jaw and ignored him.

"Well yeah but, it's also really nice." She said quietly.

"Really?" He asked.

"Really." She confirmed. He smile uncontrollably as Big Rob poked his head in the door.

"Five minutes until show time." He warned. Joe quickly gathered his things and Nick sighed sadly.

"I gotta go Mace." He told her.

"Okay. Have a good show!" She told him.

"Thanks. I'll call you after the meet and greet." He promised.

"If your lucky I'll even answer." She teased. She would answer. She always answered. And he always called. Because no matter where he was in the world… Macy was with him.

"Hey Nick?" Joe questioned after Nick had hung up the phone. The two boys were heading out the dressing room door.

"Yeah?" He answered, his mind already running through the concert systematically.

"Where's Kevin?" He asked. Nick stopped in his tracks and looked around. The oldest Lucas brother was no where to be seen.

"We should have put out the animal cookies." He groaned.

**00000 00000 00000**

"Hey Nick, you were amazing out there." The soft coo of a female voice startled Nick. He was currently getting ready to go to the meet and greet and found himself somewhat surprised at the sound of someone speaking to him.

"Oh, thanks Alexa." He replied, sending her a quick smile. Alexa was one of the dancers that was touring with JONAS. She was blonde and beautiful. Or so Nick was told, to be honest he hadn't really noticed. His mind had been on other things, a certain brunette perhaps.

"What are you guys doing tonight?" She asked eagerly, looking a little nervous. Nick furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. Alexa had socialized with the Lucas brothers on occasion, but not regularly. And usually it happened casually. It was never something that they planned.

"Ah, I'm not sure yet. Probably just hanging out." He replied, moving down the hallway. Alexa continued to follow him, only furthering his confusion.

"We should do something." She piped up.

"Nick, come on we gotta go." Kevin said as he and Joe made their way past Nick and down the hall.

"Yeah, coming." He told them before turning to Alexa. "So, I'll let you know if we all end up doing anything." He told her before turning to leave.

"I meant you and I should do something." She called. Nick stopped and turned around slowly. "Together. Just us." She added, smiling and biting her lip. If Nick were any other boy he might have thought she looked cute. But he was Nick... and he wasn't amused, he was surprised.

"You mean like..." He trailed off.

"A date." She confirmed giggling a little. Nick stared at her in shock. He may have been an almost genius but he had not seen that one coming.

"Alexa I think maybe, I just I don't... you're you and I'm, well I - what I'm saying is any guy would be lucky to go out with you it's just that-" He started to stumble on his words. Nick was never good at rejecting people. In fact, he avoided it at all costs.

"Nick let's go!" Big Rob shouted from down the hall.

"Go ahead. Just um, just think about what I said and we'll talk later." She smiled before leaning up and kissing him on the cheek. He stood motionless as she pranced away.

"What the hell just happened?" He wondered out loud.

**00000 00000 00000 **

"So what's going on with you and Alexa? I saw you two talking earlier." Joe question Nick as they finished up with the meet and greet.

"Nothing." Nick muttered. It had been a long night, and all Nick wanted to do was lay down and fall asleep. After he called Macy of course.

"Didn't look like nothing..." Kevin joined it, nudging him with an elbow. Nick glared at his older brothers and sighed.

"She kind of... asked me out." He admitted, knowing that it was better to get this conversation over with. Joe and Kevin could be relentless when they put their minds to it.

"Dude!" Joe exclaimed, patting Nick on the back.

"What about Macy?" Kevin asked.

"Dude..." Joe said again.

"You can't go out with Alexa. Macy would be sad and then she would make her sad eyes and I think they would make me feel bad even over the phone." Kevin pointed out. Joe opened his mouth to say something but Nick cut him off.

"Do not say dude again." He warned. Joe threw his hands up in surrender. "Look, I didn't say I would go out with her." Nick told them.

"Ouch. So how'd you let her down?" Joe asked.

"I hope you were gentle." Kevin added.

"Well I... kind of didn't give her an answer yet." Nick winced at the looks on their

faces.

"So she kind of asked you out and then you kind of didn't give her and answer. Did anything definitely happen?" Joe asked, smirking annoyingly.

"Well I definitely don't feel like talking to you about it." Nick replied before moving past his brothers and disappearing as fast as he could.

"Uh oh." Kevin muttered.

"He's totally gonna make a mess of this isn't he?" Joe asked.

"Yup." Kevin replied. Joe shook his head sadly.

"We're gonna have to clean it up aren't we?" Joe asked once more.

"Yup." Kevin answered again.

"Is this how Nick feels when ever he sees us making stupid choices?" Joe questioned.

"Yup." Kevin said for the third time.

"Is that all you're going to add to this exchange?" Joe asked looking annoyed.

"You were on a roll so I just went with it." He replied shrugging.

"Great. Really helpful Kev." He glared. "Come on, we should go find Nick. I have a feeling he's doing something really stupid right now." Joe muttered.

"What makes you say that?" Kevin asked. Joe pointed down the hall at two people talking. It was Nick and Alexa. Alexa was giggling and Nick was throwing her charming smiles.

"Exhibit A." He replied.

"Oh no…" Kevin groaned. "Poor Macy."

**00000 00000 00000**

**Authors Note: **The next chapter will be a continuation of this one. It turned out longer than I expected so I'm breaking it into two parts. Sorry to leave you at this point, but remember this is a Nacy fic so you don't have to worry too much!


	3. I Won't Back Down

Song: I Won't Back Down by Johnny Cash

Episode Relevancy: This is a continuation of chapter two.

**I Won't Back Down**

Nick Lucas was a smart boy. Three points shy of a genius to be exact. And not only was he smart, but he was also cautious and careful. He took the time to think things through and make the best decision possible. He had always been the responsible, logical one. Always.

All of his life, Nick Lucas had been a smart boy. But for exactly two minutes and forty eight seconds, Nick Lucas had been an incredibly stupid boy.

"Wait. Time out. Pause. Rewind. You said what? To who? About what?" Joe Lucas stared incredulously at his younger brother. He looked around to see that pigs were not flying. So what could any of this mean?

"I said yes to Alexa regarding her earlier offer to partake in a date." Nick answered in a clipped, business like tone. He was all too aware of Joe and Kevin's dramatic reactions. He figured the best way to deal with their inquiries would be to act calm.

"But… but what about Macy?" Kevin practically shrieked. It turned out that Joe and Kevin were too late in saving Nick. By the time they made their way to him, Alexa had already bounced off happily.

"What about Macy?" Nick asked, pretending to be oblivious.

"Oh no, don't play stupid little brother. You've filled your quota of stupid for the day." Joe sniped at him, pointing a finger accusingly.

"For the week." Kevin added.

"The month." Joe continued.

"For the-" Kevin was about to speak again when Nick cut him off.

"Alright, I get it. But just because the two of you don't agree with my decision doesn't make it stupid. In fact, history proves that doing the opposite of what you two think is a smart thing." He smirked rudely. Joe and Kevin both looked put out as Nick whirled around and walked away from them for the second time that day.

"He's mean." Kevin muttered.

"And stupid." Joe added.

"Our brother is mean and stupid." Kevin nodded, glaring at Nick's retreating form.

**00000 00000 00000**

He held his breath until he could no longer hear his brother's voices down the hallway. He turned to see that they were no longer in sight. In fact, he had made so many turns that no one was in sight. Letting out a long breath, Nick let his back slump against the hallway wall. He dropped his head into his hands and slid down the wall until he was sitting against it.

One of his hands somehow found it's way to his pocket. He reached in an retrieved his phone. He opened it to see that Alexa had already sent him a text. She must have sent it moments after they had finished talking.

"I can't wait to hang out with you. We're going to have a blast. Text me when you want to come to the trailer. I'll have dinner waiting - Xoxo Alexa." Nick read the message out loud to himself. He shook his head in wonder. How had he gotten into this mess?

He had acted impulsively, that's how. His head had been filled with thoughts of Macy and he had scared himself. This summer was supposed to be about building a solid friendship with Macy. Instead he had found himself dreaming of her lips and yearning to hold her hand.

His easy dismissal of Alexa had scared him as well. She was pretty and smart, she was talented and fun, she was amazing. Yet he had barley given her a second thought. He had barley given any one or anything other than Macy a second thought. Joe and Kevin's reactions had essentially solidified his fear. They had been so sure that Macy would come into the equation, so positive that she was more than a friend… he'd panicked. Nick wanted to take things with Macy slowly. But everything had flown out of control and in an impulsive move to take a few steps back, Nick had made things worse. Taking a final deep breath, Nick pressed a few buttons and rested his phone to his ear.

"Hey superstar." Macy answered brightly.

"Hey Macy, what are you up to?" He asked. The sound of her voice left a sinking feeling in his gut. What had he done?

"I'm taking my neighbors dog Rusty for a walk. They're kind of old so they aren't always up for it." She explained kindly. Nick shut his eye tightly, wishing to go back in time and make things right.

"He's a golden retriever right?" Nick asked, stalling.

"Mostly. But they think there's something else mixed in. He's cute though. Speaking out cute… how were my favorite boys tonight?" She replied.

"The show went well. Dallas is always fun to play for." He told her sincerely.

"That's great. What are you all up to now? Video games and pizza I presume?" She chuckled. Nick tried to chuckle along with her, but his laugh got caught in his throat.

"I think that's Kevin and Joe's plan." He finally was able to say.

"And what about you? Are you going to be antisocial Nick?" She teased.

"I ah… I'm actually going to hang out with a friend. Just for a little while. It's not… it's just something different to do." He stumbled over his words and fought to keep composure.

"That sound fun." She told him sincerely. "What friend are you hanging out with." She continued. Nick nervously tapped his foot. He could simply gloss over the whole thing. He could make it seem like a group hang out. But she would find out eventually and it was better to get this over with now.

"Um… one of the dancers, Alexa." He said quietly. He listened for a response but the other end of the line remained quiet for a moment.

"Alexa…" She finally said quietly. He nodded, though she couldn't see him. Finally she continued. "The pretty blonde one right? She seems awesome Nick." She told him, mustering as much sincere enthusiasm as she could.

"Yeah, she's… I guess she's pretty cool." He answered unsure of where this conversation was headed.

"Well, I'm sure you two will have a great time." She added brightly. Although her words and tone were bright, there was something hollow about the sentiment.

"Yeah… I guess." Nick replied, a little disappointed that she seemed un phased by his admission. It wasn't as if he wanted her to be hurt. He had just thought she felt the same way he felt. And if he heard that she were going on a date with another guy… he'd be crushed.

"Well look, I have to get Rusty home so I'm going to go now. But have fun with Alexa tonight and um… I'll talk to you soon." She said, wrapping the conversation up.

"I'll call you later tonight." He told her.

"Actually just… I'll call you tomorrow or something instead. I have an early practice so I'll probably be asleep pretty soon." She told him. Nick paused and swallowed hard. Almost every night that he had been on tour, he'd called Macy before he went to bed. It didn't matter how early she had to get up or what she was doing, she always answered.

"I- okay. Just… yeah call me tomorrow." He finally said.

"Bye Nick." She said quietly. A moment later Nick heard the sound of the dial tone. He let it ring in his ears as he gently banged his head against the wall. He had royally effed up.

**00000 00000 00000**

Two hours and fourteen minutes after his phone conversation with Macy, Nick walked into the trailer he shared with his two brothers. His feet seemed to drag and his head felt heavy. The lack of light outside seemed to fit his dark mood.

"Well if it isn't Sir Nikolas, King of stupid moves." Joe announced when he saw Nick enter. Kevin looked away from the movie they had been watching to smirk.

"I thought Kevin held that crown." Nick muttered before dropping into a nearby seat. Kevin glared at him as Joe shook his head.

"Not anymore bro, you've dethroned him after tonight." Joe replied. Nick nodded and found that he had no real argument.

"How was the date?" Kevin finally asked. After hanging up with Macy, Nick had sulked for a few moments before brushing himself off and pushing onward. He went to Alexa's trailer and found that she had prepared a candle lit meal. It was chicken and pasta with salad and diet coke. It was perfect. She had been charming and sweet, they had never run out of things to talk about, and he had even found himself smiling once or twice.

"Perfect." He mumble.

"Dude, you don't look like a guy who just had a perfect date with a hot girl." Joe pointed out. And for once, Joe was completely and utterly correct. While the date had been wonderful, Nick was still miserable.

"What's going on with you Nick?" Kevin asked, genuinely concerned. Nick shrugged and sighed. To be honest he didn't understand what was going on with him. His feeling for Macy were literally driving him insane.

"I think… I think I'm going crazy." He told them.

"Crazy?" Joe asked.

"Crazy how?" Kevin continued.

"The dinner Alexa made was amazing but I could barley keep any of it down. The conversation was interesting but I was bored out of my mind. She looked beautiful but I was distracted by everything except her. It was just… it didn't feel right." He admitted, sitting up and running a hand through his hair.

"Of course it didn't Nick." Kevin told him wisely.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Nick replied looking annoyed.

"Well dude, it's obviously gonna be weird to be on a date with some girl when you're in love with Macy." Joe told him, as if it were the most logical thing in the world. Kevin nodded in agreement as Nick gaped at them both.

"I'm not… It's not like… what?" He stuttered a response and his brothers fought the urge to laugh.

"You. Are in love. With Macy." Joe told him slowly.

"Macy Misa." Kevin clarified.

"I'm not. I mean… we're friends but…" He trailed off, uncertain of what he was trying to say.

"But you're scared to take it to the next level. Trust me man, I get it." Joe explained knowingly.

"It's not just that. I mean, I can't be. I can't be in love with her. We were barley friends until this summer. And it's not like we've seen each other really. We've just been talking and it just… it doesn't make sense for me to be in love with her." Nick rambled nervously.

"Just because something doesn't make sense, doesn't mean it isn't true." Joe told him.

"Love isn't supposed to make sense anyway Nick." Kevin added gently. Nick paused to take in everything that his brothers were saying. They could be royal pains in the but sometimes but, when he needed them they were always there.

"I'm in love with Macy Misa." He finally uttered in amazement.

"And they say he's the almost genius." Kevin muttered sarcastically.

**00000 00000 00000**

With each problem Nick solved, he found that he had two more problems waiting for him. He stared at his phone and contemplated with situation to rectify first. On the one hand, he wanted to talk to Macy as soon has he possibly could and assure her that he wasn't interested in other girls. But on the other hand, he felt like he should end the Alexa situation just as quickly as it had begun. He picked up his phone to scroll through his contacts, hoping the answer would jump out at him. And for once… it did.

_Ring, ring, ring…_

Nick looked down at his phone to see that Alexa was calling him. He was surprised considering he only left her trailer about an hour ago. But her call wasn't entirely unwelcome given the fact that he had some business to attend to with her.

"Hello?" He answered casually. He was going to do his best to make this quick and painless.

"Hey Nick, it's Alexa." She chirped over the phone.

"Oh, hey Alexa. What's up?" He asked, hoping to sound friendly but not overly excited. He wanted her to know that she was great girl, just not a great girl for him.

"Listen, I need to talk to you about tonight." She started.

"Yeah, tonight was fun." He lied.

"It was nice." She agree. "But…" She trailed off unsurely.

"But…" He prompted, curious about her change in tone."I think it would be better if we were just friends." She finished. Nick's mouth hung open in shock. He had not expected this.

"Friends?" He asked dumbly. Sure, he was getting exactly what he had wanted. But at the same time he was caught off guard. Alexa had been into him, he was sure of it.

"It's not that you aren't a great guy. You just… you seemed distracted." She explained.

"Distracted?" He repeated, feeling as though he were in a dream.

"I love hanging out with you and with your brothers, it's just… maybe we aren't right for each other." She finished. Nick took a moment to collect his thoughts before responding.

"Yeah, of course. I understand." He told her honestly.

"I guess I'll see you around then." She replied.

"Yeah, I'll see you around." He agree. As the conversation came to a close, Nick prepared to say good bye.

"Just… one more thing." She said after a moment. Nick made a noise for her to continued. "There's - it's another girl isn't it? You were distracted because of another girl." She questioned him quietly.

"I- I didn't mean to lead you on." He told her honesty. "My feelings sort of snuck up on me." He admitted. He heard her chuckle softly over the phone.

"It's okay." She told him. "I hope things work out with her Nick. She's a really lucky girl." She told him sincerely before bidding him goodbye and hanging up. Nick let out a sigh of relief as he closed the phone. One problem down, one left to go.

"Come on Nick, just call her." He muttered to himself. "Just tell her how you feel. It's like writing a song… just say the words." He coached himself expertly. Finally, he shut his eyes tightly and pressed down on the keys he knew by heart. Keys his fingers could find with out him needing to look. He listened to the ring and prayed for her to answer.

"Nick?" A groggy voice picked up. She sounded more confused than angry. That was a good sign right?

"Hey Mace." He spoke gently, his lips tugging into a soft smile.

"What are… what the hell Nick. I thought I told you I had to get up early!" She exclaimed. Okay so she was no longer confused. Now she was just pissed. Oops.

"I know, I'm sorry. I just couldn't wait until morning to talk to you. Besides, you're always the last person I talk to before I go to sleep." He added the last part for good measure. It didn't hurt to lay on the charm when you'd royally screwed up.

"Nick…" She trailed off exhaustedly.

"I miss you." He blurted out. He heard her gasp quietly from her. It was time to put his heart on the line and he didn't care how stupid he came out looking.

"How was your date?" She didn't sound angry, she didn't sound bitter, she didn't even sound hurt. She just sounded tired. Tired of pretending, tired of missing him, tired of everything.

"It was useful." He told her.

"Huh?" She replied, sounding as though she thought he were crazy.

"It made me realize some things. Things I'd been sort of… avoiding." He explained.

"What kind of things?" She asked, genuinely curious.

"Macy, I've spent the entire summer telling myself that I'm single and free to date." He began.

"You are Nick." She told him sadly.

"That's just the thing Mace. I'm not. Not really anyway. I was with Alexa on that date tonight but… my heart was somewhere else." He finished. He heard her suck in a deep breath.

"Where?" She managed to breath out.

"With you." He uttered simply. And that was it. With those two words he had said it all. He had expressed every longing thought, every aching, every flutter of nerves, and every burst of love. It was all there and it was more than enough.

"I… I'll keep it safe. Until you come home and for as long as you let me. I promise Nick, I'll keep it safe." She told him, knowing how scared he had been to tell her how he felt. He smile and closed his eyes, relishing in the moment.

"I know you will Mace. I know you will. He whispered contently. He didn't need to declare his love or discus labels and details. It was enough that he had told her how he felt. It was enough that she felt the same. He had risked everything and that risk had paid off. This is what it felt like to fall head over heels in love and have someone there to catch you.


	4. Sunday Morning

Song: Sunday Morning by Maroon Five

Episode Relevancy: This takes place some time after Macy and Nick start dating. They are in a relationship and happy. The boys are in New York promoting their next tour and playing a few shows. Nick and Macy have been apart for about a week.

**Sunday Morning**

The shrill sound of an alarm clock rang through the hotel room. Nick groaned and buried his head in his pillow, praying for the noise to end. It didn't. Instead it was joined by a new noise. A much more annoying noise.

"Nick, Nick get up dude." Joe shoved Nick's shoulder effectively ruining any chance the younger boy had of falling asleep again. Looking up Nick noticed that Joe was in his jogging gear.

"What?" He grunted, still not feeling bright and fuzzy.

"I'm going for a quick jog, you wanna come?" He asked. Joe already knew the answer was no. Nick wasn't a morning person and there was simply no changing that.

"No." He grunted again. Joe shrugged, looking entirely unbothered.

"Suit yourself man. Later." He said before exiting the room and falling out of sight. Nick sighed and looked at the clock next to his bed. It was five past seven in the morning. And if was his one day off in New York. Couldn't people just let him sleep in?

"Nick?" Another voice called out. "Oh hey, want some breakfast?" Kevin asked as he entered the room. Nick groaned in frustration before sitting up.

"Yeah, sure whatever." He relented, realizing that his family wouldn't be letting him enjoy a few more hours of rest. Not today at least.

"Come on, we ordered room service and it's here." Kevin said motioning for him to go into the next room.

"Can you just bring me something?" Nick asked, still very tired.

"What do I look like to you? A waiter? Get your own food." Kevin scoffed, turning and walking away. Nick sighed and moved to get out of bed. Running a hand through his hair he thought about how much he wanted to go home and sleep in his own bed. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and grabbed his phone from the table beside his bed. No missed calls, no messages. Macy must still be sleeping he mused.

Looking out the window, Nick found that it was raining steadily. Where the hell was Joe planning on jogging in this weather? Shaking his head, Nick opened his phone and typed a quick message to Macy, wishing her good luck at her game today. Macy, his girlfriend of three months was an all star athlete. He liked to think that she was to sports, what he was to music. Unfortunately, because she was just as busy as he was, they hadn't been able to see each other in a little over a week. He'd wanted her to come to New York for a few days but her schedule wouldn't allow it. So instead they had opted to talk on the phone and email constantly.

"Nick, the food's getting cold." He heard Kevin yell to him. He sighed and got out of bed, slipping on a pair of worn slippers. As he made his way into the main room of their hotel suit, he wondered what he was going to fill his day with.

"I'm coming, I'm coming…" He muttered as he entered the room. He squinted his eyes as the brightness of the sun invaded his view. He was vaguely aware of the scent of bacon and syrup as a gentle voice shook him from his daze.

"Surprise." Macy's brown eyes met his own and he felt his lips curve into a surprised smile. Standing before him, only feet away, was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen. And she wasn't just any girl, she was _his _girl.

"You're here." He uttered in shock. She giggled whimsically and tucked a piece of her soft brown hair behind an ear.

"I'm here." She confirmed. With out wasting another second Nick scooped her into an embrace, wrapping his arms around her as if he'd never let go. Macy nestled her head into his chest and fisted the fabric of his shirt, taking in his warmth.

"I told you they'd forget other people were in the room." Frankie's voice broke the couple out of their embrace. With one arm still securely around Macy's waste, Nick looked up to find his parents, Kevin, Frankie, and Big Rob all watching the pair.

"Did you all know about this?" Nick questioned, tilting his head to motion towards the girl in his arms.

"Well Macy called Kevin and said she'd like to surprised you with a visit. Your father and I know that you've been missing her so we thought it was a great idea." His mother explained.

"When did this happen?" He asked, still confused.

"Late last night." Kevin answered.

"What about your soccer game?" Nick asked, looking down at Macy.

"Cancelled due to a bad weather forecast." She told him smiling. Nick grinned and pulled her into another hug, resting his chin on her head.

"This is awesome." He murmured.

"Yeah… awesome." Frankie rolled his eyes, obviously not understanding what the big deal was. He was still a little young for the trials of love to make sense. "Now, can we eat?" He exclaimed.

"Yes Frankie, we can eat." Mr. Lucas laughed. Everyone in the room settled down at the big table and began to pile their plates with food. Nick found himself unable to stop staring at Macy through out breakfast.

"I'm so happy you're here." He whispered, so that only she could hear him. She covered his hand with her own and squeezed it gently.

"Me too. It's just for the day though, I leave later tonight. I know it's not much but I just thought…" She trailed off.

"It's enough. You being here, me being able to see you and hold you… it's enough." He smiled. The moment was interrupted by the quiet sound of gagging.

"I'm trying to eat here." Frankie announced, tossing the couple a dirty look. Everyone at the table chuckled and shook their heads.

"Okay, okay." Nick relented. He wasn't big on PDA as it was. The quiet moments were what mattered most to him.

"Hey, be happy it's not Joe and Stella we're watching reunite. We'd all be upchucking by now." Kevin added. Frankie grimaced at the thought.

"Where is Joe anyway?" Macy asked curiously.

"Oh yeah, was he in on this too? Is that what the whole jogging thing was about?" Nick asked, still not sure why his brother would go jogging in the rain.

"Jogging thing?" Macy questioned.

"Joe said he was going jogging this morning, but it's raining so…" Before Nick could finish his thought, the door to the hotel room flew open to reveal a completely drenched Joe.

"If anyone ever tells you, that you can't get wet if you're going fast enough…" Joe trailed off looking out of breath. "They're lying."

**00000 00000 00000**

Nick and Macy spent the entire day together. It was raining, so they were cooped up in the hotel, but being together was all that was important. It didn't matter what they were doing or where they were, they were together.

But, just as steadily as the rain fell, the time flew. Minutes turned into hours and hours eventually ate away into night. Their time together had once again run out.

"Macy, you should start to get your things together dear." Mrs. Lucas popped her head in to find Nick and Macy cuddled on the couch and watching TV. Macy's head lifted from Nick's shoulder and she smiled politely.

"Of course. Thank you Mrs. Lucas." She replied, sitting up and running her fingers through her hair. Nick remained seated, his eyes never leaving the TV.

"We'll have a car take you to the air port whenever your ready." She added before slipping out of the room and leaving the two teens alone. Macy scooted forwards on the couch and rifled through her purse to make sure everything was there.

"Have you seen my phone charger?" She asked Nick. He shook his head dully, still keeping his eyes trained on the TV.

"Well can you help me find it?" She asked, slightly annoyed by his mild response.

"After this show." He muttered. She stared at him in awe.

"Nick… we're watching Flavor of Love." She uttered. He shrugged silently. "What is wrong with you?" She snapped, standing up and placing herself in front of the TV.

"Can you please move?" He asked.

"Can you please stop being a jerk and help me get my things together?" She snapped back.

"No." He finally looked her in the eye.

"Why not?" She demanded.

"Because!" He exclaimed, standing up and running a hand through his messy hair.

"Because?" She responded raising her eyebrows.

"Just…" He trailed off, unable to find the words.

"What Nick? What is it?" She urged impatiently.

"I don't want you to leave, okay?" He finally blurted out. Macy stared at him silently… unsure of how to respond. Nick looked down and nervously averted his eyes. "The sooner you get your stuff together, the sooner you leave." He spoke barley above a whisper. Macy stepped forward and took his hand in her own.

"Nick…" She murmured, causing him to look up and meet her eyes. "I don't want to leave either. Being here with you makes me happy. But for now… this is the way things have to be." She explained.

"I know." He nodded. "I really meant it when I told you that you being here, even for a short time, was enough. It's just, saying goodbye is really hard." He admitted.

"So let's skip goodbye. I'll leave and you'll stay, and then in less than a week we can say hello again." She told him, stepping forward and wrapping her arms around his waste. She felt his arms come around her and she let his warmth soak into her skin.

"I hid your charger under the couch cushion." He interrupted the moment suddenly. Macy pulled back to look at him and found that he was serious. Her eyebrows furrowed for a moment before she burst out into laughter. Nick joined her and the two felt the sadness of the moment lift.

"That's kind of sweet." She giggled. "But it also sounds like something Joe would do." She added, causing Nick to grimace.

"It does, doesn't it." He groaned as Macy nodded.

"Hurry home Nick." She smiled sweetly. "We can't have you turning into Joe while your away." She continued, squeezing his hand.

"No worries baby, I'll always be the boy you know and love." He grinned before leaning in for a kiss. And she knew in her heart that his words were true. He would always be Nick Lucas… her Nick Lucas.

**00000 00000 000000**


End file.
